A group of Cumbrian heritage attractions is aiming to put the ‘hallo’ into Halloween, as it lays on what it says is its most spectacular array of half-term Halloween fun to date, as part of its mission to prove that a vibrant present continually spins out of its members’ incredible collective pasts.
Cumbria’s Living Heritage’s members have gone all out to lay on half-term and spooky activities that have gone to the next level in 2022, as the county seeks to boost its visitor numbers and bring in families from drive-time areas.
The heritage group’s members are laying on everything from an absolutely action-packed programme of activities, including a Monsters’ Masquerade, Monsters’ Ball Silent Disco and Day of the Dead procession at Brockhole on Windermere, to the descent of zombies, ghosts, ghouls and witches at Muncaster. These ghostly interlopers will be keen to check out the Scary Maze, fire-juggling, Halloween Circus Top and Zombie Shoot-out at the historic castle.
Older visitors to whom Cumbria’s Living Heritage wants to say ‘hallo’, can head into Muncaster Castle and enjoy a Legends from the Shadows Tour, full of immersive theatre and offering the opportunity to chase down ghosts.
“What Cumbria’s Living Heritage members can offer to families, couples and individuals is a fantastic backdrop, which adds a unique ambience to Halloween,” says the group’s chair, Peter Frost-Pennington.
“We have the grand and atmospheric fireplaces around which to gather and hear spooky stories, as at Dove Cottage this year. Our craft activities can be set in spine-tingling historic homes, where dressing-up also involves a journey into the past. And we can offer so much more, besides all of this.”
Added ambience
At Tullie House in Carlisle different creatures will be created in daily craft sessions over Halloween, whether the creative task is to put together a monster’s eye mask, a skeleton or a spider. Children can then view some of these things, all the way back to Roman times, by referencing museum exhibits.
The museum also has the advantage of being able to evoke the feelings of the resident population as they heard Roman soldiers marching by, reminding Halloween goers how these ghostly footsteps can still sometimes be heard. Past and present intertwine when it comes to the planned storytelling sessions.
Children visiting Cumbria, as well as locals, can also learn how to become a wizard in a Wizard Academy staged in the unique setting of Holker Hall and Gardens, or feature in a comic-strip, that they themselves put together, if they venture to the Windermere Jetty Museum for a really fun superhero-filled workshop.
Exploding a heritage myth
“Cumbria’s Living Heritage members are determined to demonstrate that other eras can be brought to life in unexpected and unanticipated ways, exploding the myth that heritage is dusty,” says the group’s co-ordinator, Jeanette Edgar. “Halloween provides a perfect opportunity to do this.”
When it comes to adding relevance to today’s issues, however, perhaps Blackwell – the Arts and Crafts House, has created the most ‘concerned’ event this half-term. The stunning house is staging CliMART workshops, using environment-focused crafts as a means of expressing and exploring the issues facing the climate. Whether making a printed zine about the use of plastic or making a felt badge focused on saving bees from extinction, the activities will evoke deep thought.
“Our half-term and Halloween activities are absolutely amazing this year,” says Jeanette Edgar. “You do not have to venture far to find one that will blow your socks off – even without the use of magic! Just give heritage a chance and you will find that the value a wonderful setting and rich past can make is absolutely profound.”
Find details of events at members’ websites, all of which can be accessed via www.cumbriaslivingheritage.co.uk
